Rulebase
Overview
Rulebase is a startup, founded in 2024 by Nigerian engineers Gideon Ebose and Chidi Williams, that specializes in developing AI-driven solutions for financial services. Based in London, Rulebase has focused on automating back-office tasks such as compliance checks, quality assurance, and dispute resolution. As of September 2025, the firm has successfully raised $2.1 million in pre-seed funding from prominent investors including Bowery Capital, Y Combinator, Commerce Ventures, and Transpose Platform VC. The company's AI is designed to work alongside human agents to streamline complex tasks in financial institutions.
Recent Developments
- September 2025: Rulebase, supported by Y Combinator, announced a $2.1 million pre-seed funding round led by Bowery Capital. This funding will assist in expanding its engineering capabilities and developing new features such as fraud investigation, audit preparation, and regulatory reporting. Rulebase's AI services are already in use by prominent clients like the U.S.-based business banking platform Rho.
- Rulebase’s tool, an AI "Coworker," efficiently automates back-office workflows in financial services, notably reducing compliance costs and enhancing operational efficiency. The software conducts comprehensive reviews of financial institution interactions, identifying risks and ensuring compliance protocols are followed across tools like Zendesk and Slack.
- As of late 2024 and throughout early 2025, Rulebase experienced a "double-digit" month-over-month revenue growth, partly due to its participation in Y Combinator’s Fall 2024 batch.
- The company planned to leverage the funding to scale its engineering team and aims to integrate more advanced features like fraud investigation capabilities, targeting expansion across the USA, Europe, and Africa.
- Rulebase’s initial focus remains on financial services due to the precision required in compliance automation. However, its long-term strategy may extend to other sectors, such as insurance, provided they share similar workflow challenges.
- Key to Rulebase’s offering is the ability to review 100% of customer interactions for compliance, a vast improvement over the traditional approach of reviewing a small percentage.
- Rulebase's business model is usage-based, charging clients per interaction reviewed.
Company Information
| Attribute | Information |
|---|---|
| Founding Date | 2024 |
| Headquarters | London, UK |
| Founders | Gideon Ebose, Chidi Williams |
| Revenue | Not publicly disclosed |
| Profits | Not publicly disclosed |
| Key Investors | Bowery Capital, Y Combinator, Commerce Ventures |
| Industry | Financial Technology |
| Number of Employees | Not publicly disclosed |
Early History
Rulebase was conceived in 2024 by two Nigerian engineers, Gideon Ebose, previously of Microsoft, and Chidi Williams, formerly of Goldman Sachs. They developed Rulebase to tackle inefficiencies in financial services’ back-office operations, particularly compliance and quality assurance. The founders drew from their extensive experience in tech and finance, developing several prototypes before settling on the current form of Rulebase. The inspiration stemmed from observed inefficiencies in financial workflows and regulatory processes, leading to the creation of Rulebase's AI-driven "Coworker" tool, designed to optimize manual tasks through automation and advanced analytics.
Company Profile and Achievements
Rulebase operates on a usage-based business model, charging clients based on the number of interactions reviewed by their AI. This model allows companies to efficiently manage back-office tasks, particularly in financial services. The company’s noteworthy achievements include:
- Y Combinator Alumni: Rulebase was part of the Fall 2024 batch, which significantly boosted its growth and investor interest.
- Integration with Major Platforms: The software works seamlessly with tools like Zendesk, Jira, and Slack, allowing it to be a flexible solution for a range of back-office tasks.
- Proven Cost Reduction: Clients have reported up to a 70% reduction in compliance costs and a 30% reduction in escalations due to the comprehensive review capabilities of Rulebase’s AI solutions.
- Global Strategic Positioning: While Rulebase focuses on financial institutions in the USA, Europe, and Africa, the potential expansion into insurance underlines its ambition to broaden its market reach.
Current Operations and Market Position
Rulebase positions itself as a leader in AI automation for financial services, targeting back-office operations rather than consumer-facing applications. Its major advantage lies in the "Coworker" AI, permitting comprehensive interaction reviews that exceed industry norms. The company’s focus on regulatory compliance automation establishes Rulebase as a critical infrastructural tool within its industry, promising scalable efficiency improvements across its client base. The startup continues to enhance its market position through strategic features integration and global expansion efforts.
Conclusion
Rulebase has swiftly positioned itself as a disruptive force within the financial technology sector through its development of AI-based back-office solutions. By focusing on the less visible, yet critical, components of financial operations like compliance and quality assurance, Rulebase offers a unique value proposition. Its recent funding and backing by Y Combinator indicate significant confidence in its capacity for growth and innovation. As Rulebase continues to refine its technology and expand its reach, its potential impact across financial services—possibly extending into sectors like insurance—positions it as a key player poised for substantial influence in the digital financial landscape.